Cave collection??

[RaidenCrazin]

I'm new to the group. Thanks for the add!!
I'm getting back into SHMUPS.
And I wanted to know if there is a place where I can purchase or acquire a vast amount of the Cave shooters?
I'm seeing that Ibara is relatively difficult to get.
And I'm learning there's a LOT of cave shooters I've never heard of.
I only heard of Ibara yesterday lol!!
Any help is greatly appreciated!!

[ATTRACTS]

If you are itching to collect, a Japanese XBox 360 (or modded NTSC/USA one) is your best bet for physical Cave games.
Mushihimesama, Mushi Futari, Espgaluda II, Deathsmiles I and II, Ketsui, Muchi Muchi Pork/Pink Sweets, Dodonpachi DOJ/SDOJ/DFK, Akai Katana...some of these can be found as US releases too but I always went with the JPN versions. There's also Guwange as a digital download.

The Japanese PS2 had Ibara, Mushihimesama, Epsgaluda and Dodonpachi DOJ

Japan PS1 had Donpachi and Dodonpachi...

PS4 and Switch are catching up slowly....with two or three of each of the above in various versions and Esp.Ra.De.

Arcade boards/supergun are also an option if you have 20-30 grand laying around and a lot of patience

[Jonpachi]

Steam, PS4 and Switch are your best value to get started.

There's been a tremendous resurgence in releases in the last few years, so you don't need to hit up old consoles and pay Ebay prices to get into it.

[ATTRACTS]

Steam, PS4 and Switch are your best value to get started.

There's been a tremendous resurgence in releases in the last few years, so you don't need to hit up old consoles and pay Ebay prices to get into it.

Yeah, I agree....we are in a good spot lately with modern choices/availability. But eventually.......that rabbit hole calls haha.

[RaidenCrazin]

I really wanna play Ibara!!!
And the OG Raiden II.
There is a working rom for it now right?

[Jonpachi]

I guess your screenname implies that you're crazy for Raiden games, but I can't help but think of this product from the US.

[BIL]

I guess your screenname implies that you're crazy for Raiden games, but I can't help but think of this product from the US.

[hamfighterx]

If you are itching to collect, a Japanese XBox 360 (or modded NTSC/USA one) is your best bet for physical Cave games.
Mushihimesama, Mushi Futari, Espgaluda II, Deathsmiles I and II, Ketsui, Muchi Muchi Pork/Pink Sweets, Dodonpachi DOJ/SDOJ/DFK, Akai Katana...some of these can be found as US releases too but I always went with the JPN versions. There's also Guwange as a digital download.

Worth noting that Guwange is also backwards compatible! Can play (and buy) that on an Xbox Series X/S, or an Xbox One.

And while I will always love my J360 Cave collection, it's getting a lot easier to get physical copies of those games on other systems now:
* Currently we have easily accessible Japanese Switch physical releases for Espgaluda II, Deathsmiles I&II, DOJ, DFK, Akai Katana (all of those but Espgaluda II and DFK are also on PS4). All of those except DOJ are the 360 versions, ported to modern systems.
* Switch Mushihimesame is a little more costly for physical (currently the only physical version is the Limited Run Games release, so expect higher secondary market prices), but it's also on the eShop (and Steam).
* Ketsui is not on Switch, but is on PS4 and still available at retail (Japan).

So, that leaves only Futari, MMP/Pink Sweets, and SDOJ as the physical home console ports that are 360 only. And all three of them are region free discs, so will work fine on a non-modded system.

[EDIT] A few Cave games got their first ever home ports in the PS4/Switch era:
- Esp.ra.de is available on both Switch and PS4, and a Japanese physical retail release is available.
- Dangun Feveron is on PS4 and has a physical version via Limited Run (it's also available download only on Xbox One/Series)
- Progear, as mentioned, is on modern consoles through Capcom Arcade Stadium (download only)

[SavagePencil]

Great rundown, with one amendment: Esp.Ra.De. *is* available on Switch!

[beer gas canister]

Progear is on all modern consoles in Capcom Arcade Stadium, and is dirt cheap. Must have imo

[scrilla4rella]

You can’t go wrong with the Cave shooters on PS4, esp the ones developed by M2: DDP DOJ, Ketsui, ESP ra.de.. These are some of the best shooter ever

[hamfighterx]

Great rundown, with one amendment: Esp.Ra.De. *is* available on Switch!

And I *have* it on Switch, so IDK how I managed to make that mistake! Thanks for catching that.

[Bassa-Bassa]

The only Cave thing truly comparable with Ibara is Pink Sweets (only on 360), though. You should check Eighting's Battle Garegga (only on SS and PS4) and successors (no ports for now) if it's Ibara the one which caught your eyes.

[LDigital]

So, that leaves only Futari, MMP/Pink Sweets, and SDOJ as the physical home console ports that are 360 only. And all three of them are region free discs, so will work fine on a non-modded system.

A bit of a late stage bump but does anyone know if these discs would be backwards compatible with the One X? I am thinking of picking these up eventually and not sure if I will need to get a 360 or not?.

[pablumatic]

A bit of a late stage bump but does anyone know if these discs would be backwards compatible with the One X? I am thinking of picking these up eventually and not sure if I will need to get a 360 or not?.

All Physical (and almost all digital) Cave Xbox 360 games are not backwards compatible with Xbox One or the newer Series consoles. You'll have to get a 360 to play them.

The only Cave shooter that is backwards compatible is Guwange, which is digital only.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

For RaidenCrazin,

You can pick up a Cave SH-3 Ibara jamma pcb kit + a supergun setup + Amiga 1080 or 1084S 14" RGB monitor = priceless and purest way to play as it's meant to be.

Or you could pick up a used Japan region original or slim Playstation 2 console + a PS2 import of Ibara + a 8mb PS2 memory card = cheaper on the wallet monetary-wise to play Ibara properly.

Can't go wrong in going either the arcade pcb + supergun route or the gaming console route with Ibara. Cave released the rarer Ibara Kuro (Black) variant SH-3 jamma pcb kit but it goes for in the four figure range nowadays. Some folks have moved "heaven and earth" trying to get ahold of it as it seldomly appears for sale.

If you want to play the original Seibu Kaihatsu released Raiden II jamma pcb, you'll need a supergun to play it properly or just pick up a used Sony Playstation console + a copy of "The Raiden Project" and you're good to go (as it has both games of Raiden and Raiden II indeed).

There's talk about Hamster possibly releasing Raiden II for the Playstation 4 and Nintendo Switch gaming consoles in 2024/2025 timeline down the road.

The Xbox 360 port of "Raiden Fighter Aces" is cool as well with the later Raiden arcade sequels of Raiden Fighters, Raiden Fighters 2: Operation Hell Dive and Raiden Fighters Jet. Of course, Seibu Kaihatsu did release all three aforementioned Raiden Fighters games at the arcades/game centers with it's dedicated SP-1 arcade motherboard & SP-1 game cartridges.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[FRO]

I'll throw another vote at The Raiden Project on PS1. It's really the only console way to play Raiden II, and is a great port. The only caveat with the North American version is that you can rotate the screen orientation, but not the controls, unless you have a Game Shark to use a code. Otherwise, you'll need the Japanese release to do both. Raiden Fighters Aces is also highly recommended. An excellent collection. As for Cave stuff, there are a few available on PC, such as DDP Resurrection, Mushihimesama, and Deathsmiles I & II. I believe Akai Katana might be on PC now as well, though I'd have to double-check. Some of the M2 ports commissioned by Taito are up as well, such as their Darius Cozmic Collection and Darius Cozmic Revelations games, and the more recent Ray'z Arcade Chronology with RayForce, RayStorm, and RayCrisis. That's not to mention the wealth of shooters on Steam from indie devs, all the excellent games available from Hamster's Arcade Archives line on Switch and PS4, etc. It's a great time to be a fan of the genre.